1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for generating, in a video apparatus, a map defining an area in which characters (including a virtual man, creature and vehicle; the same applies to the following) are movable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some video games are of a type in which a game is advanced by moving characters within a movable space (e.g. a virtual three-dimensional space) in accordance with an input from an input device. In general, however, the characters adopted in such video games are not movable everywhere within the movable space, and their movable area is limited by a map.
In general, conventional video games employ a preset fixed map as the map that defines the movable area of the characters. However, in video games employing such a fixed map, their future developments become totally anticipated by players as the number of times the players have played the game increases, and it is therefore difficult for the players to play the games again and again without them loosing interest in the games.
Also known is a video game in which the individual elements (parts) to form a map are prepared as data and are appropriately combined to generate the map automatically, in consideration of the above. In such a video game, each time a player executes the game, a different map is generated so that he/she can play substantially the same game over and over many times without loosing interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,638, U.S. Pat. No. Reissued 35314 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,079 relate to maps.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,638 discloses a game apparatus that generates a labyrinth path at random.
U.S. Pat. No. Reissued 35314 also discloses a labyrinth path, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,638.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,079 discloses a game apparatus which displays images, using pieces of segmented map information that differ in the number of map segments depending on the distance from a given view point.
Designing the map form which contributes toward the game progress, i.e., variously designing both a method for generating a map and the form of the map data required for that purpose in such video games is a factor that enhances the fun and stage effects of the games.